The Debate on Containers as Building Structures — This Article Explains It Clearly | Our Company
The invention of the standardized shipping container was essential to global trade in the second half of the twentieth century. At 2.44 m wide, 2.6 m high, and 20 or 40 feet long, weathering-steel containers have been the global standardized shipping module since 1956. They made a major contribution to world trade and sharply reduced the cost of long-distance shipping.
Today there are a few hundred million containers in the world, and every day about 5 million to 6 million containers are at sea, carrying everything from chips to dishwashers. It is estimated that roughly 120 million containers of cargo cross the oceans each year, with an estimated value of more than $555.6 billion (based on 2013 data).
Yet the cost of shipping empty containers back to their origin is high, so containers often sit idle in ports. If you live near a port with a large stock of containers, the energy needed to move a container to a local building site is lower than farther inland. Today it is often cheaper to ship goods from China in a brand-new container, especially given the trade imbalance. In fact, hundreds of thousands of containers sit idle in yards around the world. Melting one of these containers takes about 8,000 kWh of energy, while converting a used container into a building takes only about 400 kWh. That is why container structures have become popular worldwide in recent years.
Because converting recycled used containers into building architecture has recently become a heated debate, as practitioners in this industry we believe we should set out the different views on using container structures.
Arguments in favor:
- Green building: Containers are environmentally friendly because they are redesigned into buildings or homes instead of being melted down. Due to one-way shipping, large numbers of ocean containers are left behind in ports worldwide.
Using one recycled used 40-foot container reuses about 3,500 kg of steel and saves 8,000 kWh of electricity that would otherwise be needed to melt it. Repurposing it takes only about 400 kWh. Using containers also avoids brick and cement. The cement industry is one of the largest CO2 producers, and although bricks are made from natural materials, they are also relatively costly.
Cost-effectiveness: Shipping containers usually cost only $5,000-$150,000, depending on size and condition. They are already the right shape for recycling into houses, so homes built from them are at least 30% cheaper than brick-and-mortar houses of the same size. Structural engineering needs are also minimal, which further lowers cost. That can be put to good use.
Structural stability: Containers are “almost indestructible.” They are designed for high loads, can withstand harsh weather and rough seas, and stack easily into multi-story buildings. Their structural stability makes these homes earthquake- and hurricane-resistant, so they are extremely safe in disaster-prone regions.
Ease and speed of construction: Building a house structure from shipping containers takes about 2–3 weeks, versus about 4–6 months for brick and mortar. If all parts are pre-cut, most structures can be assembled in about a day, equivalent to prefabricated construction.
Off-site construction: Container houses can also be converted on the job site; where on-site conversion is unsuitable, they can be prefabricated in a factory, then transported to the site for lifting and assembly.
Security: A major issue for remote and rural infrastructure is theft risk. A container may need explosives to break into, and it is too heavy to lift and haul away, so containers are a very secure choice in remote areas.
Arguments against:
Thermal insulation: Shipping containers are large weathering-steel boxes, so they absorb and transfer heat and cold well, creating indoor insulation problems. Insulation materials and paint can help, but they can also lead to less green solutions such as energy-hungry air conditioning. Insulation further reduces interior space. To gain space, multiple container structures can be joined on site.
Refurbishment: Many used shipping containers are old and near the end of their service life. Used containers often rust quickly because they were scratched or dented in primary use. Those dents and scratches must be properly repaired by the contractor. If the container is repainted every few years, it can last at least 20 years or longer.
Ecological footprint: Using discarded containers as building blocks is effective recycling, but the ecological footprint of these homes is still larger than it first appears. Before they are livable, the whole container must be sandblasted, floors replaced or sealed, and all openings cut with cutting tools. There are also carbon emissions from transport and assembly. You must ensure your contractor handles the resulting waste correctly.
Health hazards: New shipping containers as manufactured are not meant for human habitation. They can contain harmful elements such as chromate, phosphorus, and lead-based paints on the walls; some wooden floors are treated with arsenic and chromium against pests. Before building with containers, you must ensure your contractor has treated the boxes properly.
Using new containers: Building your container home from new containers departs from the recycling idea! Many overseas container makers recommend buying brand-new containers from China so there are no dents, at only a slightly higher cost. That undermines the original purpose of using recycled used containers—cutting carbon emissions and freeing resources that would otherwise go into new brick-and-concrete buildings.
Conclusion
Building a shipping-container home can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime. Among the greatest advantages are cost savings and mobility, and they can be built at incredible speed. They are not only affordable and fast to produce, but also environmentally friendly; for every recycled shipping container we save about 3,500 kg of steel. Still, as with traditional construction, before converting a shipping container you should learn the basics of the container conversion industry so you can judge and decide wisely.
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